Assignment 4 Welcome to Petroleum Exploration

Nicholas School Of The Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Victor Friedmann

e-mail: nicholasoilcourse@gmail.com

Goals of the Course

To impart a conceptual understanding of hydrocarbon exploration--an integrated, multi-disciplinary global industry. To promote the development of clear thinking, effective presentation skills, and team work.  To excite an appetite for challenge. To encourage class participation through a Wiki.

Suggested Reading  

Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production by Norman J. Hyne

Discovery, Wallace Stegner

Arabian Sands, Wilfred Thesiger

Wiki Participation 

Historically, traditional teaching methods have been vertical-the instructor speaks and the class listens. This course intends to be both vertical and horizontal- horizontal in the sense that the class has the opportunity to communicate with all class members in a chatroom-like situation. The Wiki is the technical enabler of this innovation. As developed, the Wiki allows for posting of all lectures, assignments, class homework, written oral and video chatting among all class members. Class members are required to post their homework on the Wiki by the time it is due . Class members are encouraged to critique each other's work , post questions and comments on all pages; but please, do not alter the  original lecture and assignment pages.

Project 

There will be one class project; see "examinations" below. 

Assignments. 

Assignments are designed to stimulate curiosity and to encourage creative thinking.  Assignments will be of two kinds: individual and team. Individual assignments will be prepared by individuals and presented in Wiki form; sometimes all individuals will be asked to present their work in a classroom presentation.

Team assignments will involve no more than five individuals per team. Team work is optional for all team assignments with the exception of the last one which will be a mock offshore lease sale. For this assignment the class will be divided into four teams. All other optional team assignments will involve any number of individuals from one to a maximum of five.

Completed assignments will be posted in the appropriate assignment folder in a page named with the class member's name or team name. All class members may post comments and questions on each other's pages.

All assignments are posted on the Wiki. Solutions will be posted on the day following the due date.

Class Policies 

Attendance is not mandatory; but. remember that although lectures are posted on the Wiki, they lack the interactivity and visualization of the live presentations. Please don't be late to class; latecomers are disruptive. Late assignments are not accepted; a late posting is considered a late assignment. 

In every instance the class members themselves are responsible for recruiting the teams. Each member of a team will participate in the oral presentation; so teams will also be responsible for dividing their presentations into approximately equal parts for all team members. Team members who feel they “are doing all the work” can opt to strike out on their own any time prior to 24 hours before the assignment is due.

Examinations 

In lieu of an examination the class will divide into  exploration teams and participate in a mock offshore oil lease sale. The teams will develop a bidding strategy based on information disseminated to all teams. 40% of the final grade depends on the successful outcome of this project; so, pay attention during class to individuals who stand out and then recruit them for your team. Your grade may depend on the make-up of your team!

Other Information

Preparation, Attendance, and Pacing

This class meets weekly.  

Incomplete Grades

According to the university, the grade of "incomplete" is reserved for "exceptional cases, where an unanticipated event beyond one's control interferes with a student's completion of course requirements."  

Course Grade

Points will be assigned on the following basis

All team members receive the same grade.